Revolving firearm.



No. 689,995. Patented Dec. 3|, l90l.

A. H. STOW. Y

REVOLVING FIREARM.

' (Application filed Dec. 13, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

IN VE N TOR Patented Dec. 31, mm. A. a. sum. 1 REVOLVING FIREARM.

(Application filed Dec. 13, 1900.

2 S hmats'-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOH in the county of Mingo and State of West Virbottom view ofstill another form of catch;

"Fig. 11, a top view of a different form of strap;

UNITE fIfST TEs PATENT OFFICE.

AUDLEYjlI. STOW, OF THACKER, ,lVEST VIRGINIA.

@REVOLVING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,995, dated December31, 1901.

' Application filed December 13,1900. Serial No. 39,759. ,(No model.)

,To aZZ whom it may concern:

, Be'it known that I, AUDLEY H. STOW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Thacker,

ginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Revolving Firearms,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of revolving firearms in which amany-chambered cylinder is made to revolve at the rear of the barrel,particularly revolvers of the breakdown class; and the objects ofmyinvention are, first, to provide a breakdown revolver which is lessliable to beinjured by rough usage, with a minimum weightof metal, and,secondly, to provide a breakdown revolver in which the barrel may bereadily and with certainty unlocked by therevolver hand alone. I attainthese objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a side view of barrel and barrelcatch; Fig. 2, aview in perspective of catchposts; Fig. 3, a side view ofrevolver-frame; Fig. 4, a rear view of another form of barrelcatch; Fig.5, a top view of still another form of barrel-catch; Fig. 6, a verticalcross-section along the line A A in Fig. 3; Fig. '7, a

Fig. 8, a horizontal section through rear end of barrel-lever; Fig. 9, avertical cross-section along the line B B in Fig. 12 of therevolverframe and barrel-lever; Fig. 10, a vertical cross-section ofanother form of barrel-lever;

Fig. 12, a side view of revolver, showing method of operation; and Fig.13, a longitudinal section through another form of barrelcatch.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In addition to the illustrations necessary to explain clearly the natureof my invention I have added others, showing some of the variationswhich may be made in the details of construction, in order that it maybe clearly understood that I donot confine myself to the precise detailsof construction shown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changesas fairly come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The more distinctive feature of my invention is, first, in suitablyforming the forward end 6 of the revolver-frame 18, Fig. 3, to act asthe interior member of the breakdown hinge'instead of, as heretofore,the exterior, whereby the outside barrel-levers 7 (see Fig. 1) may actnot merely as strengthening members to the revolver, but also as theoutside members of the breakdown hinge, barrel-levers being thusprovided with a minimum additional weight of metal to the revolver as awhole, in which event the breakdown hinge may be materially reduced, asin diameter, (see dotted lines 36, Fig. 12,) the extractorcam 5, Fig. 3,if used, being placed in the suitably-slotted end 6 of therevolver-frame 18, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, instead of withinthe barrel, as heretofore; second, a horizontal thumb-ridge 2, Fig. 1,along the finger-face 3 of the barrel-catch 1, (see also Figs. 4, 7, and12,) in combination with a thumb-recess 15, Fig. 3, in therevolver-frame to the rearof the recoil-plate 19, whereby the thumb 20,Fig. 12, of the revolver-hand, presented necessarily from below, willreadily and with certainty engage the said barrel catch at will, inorder that it may belifted, and the same may be disengaged from thecatchposts without assistance from the free hand.

The rear ends of the barrel-levers, as 7, Fig. 1, have on the outsideknobs 8, (see also Fig. 8,) projecting beyond the barrel-frame, as shownby the dotted lines 18', Fig. 8, whereby the said barrel-levers may bereadily loosened, as by a blow, should they become rusted in place orthe barrel pushed forward by the fingera-fter the thumb has lifted thecatch.

In order to reduce the surface of the revolverframe in contact with thelever-arm to reduce the bad effects of rusting, there being little wear,a recess 17, Fig. 3, in the said surface of the revolver-frame may serveto this end, as well as to contain lubricating matter. In the same waythe barrel-levers, as 7, Fig. 10, may be recessed inside or outside, orboth,

thus reducing weight without materially reducing strength. Theextractor-cam may be similarly recessed or perforated. The two outsidebarrel-levers 7", Fig. 0, may be connected by a horizontal web 26, thetwo recesses 17 being formed in either side of .the frame 18, or therear end of the barrel-lever may have a downwardly-projecting hook 29,.

ICO'

. rearward motion of the barrel will automatically lift thebarrel-catch.

In combination with a thumb-ridge 2, Fig. 1, extending around thefinger-face 3, ispreferably used the barrel-catch spring 24, Fig. 13,held in place by the screw 23, both within a suitable recess 22 withinthe strap 16, the said spring bearing upon a suitable projection or lipon the forward part of the barrel-catch 1", and thus serving toautomatically return the said catch to its place; or the barrel-catchmay have in addition two forward portions 21, Fig. 7, through which thebarrel-catch pin 27 also passes, thus giving maximum strength with lessbinding of parts; or the thumb-ridge 2", Fig. 4, may extend downwardlyover the finger-face, so as to replace the latter, or the thumb-ridgemay be placed at the bottom of the finger-face (see 2, Fig. 4) or atsome intermediate point; or the thumb-ridge may extend forward, as inFigs. 5 and 12, instead of to the rear, as in Fig. l; or the thumb-ridge2 and finger-face 3, Fig. 12, may be parallel with the adjacent sideface of the strap 16, the said thumbridge being preferably checked. Thesaid thumb-recess, however, alone will enable the thumb when presentedfrom below to engage with the usual form of catch fairly well. A rib 28,Figs. 11 and 12, may serve to strengthen. the connection of the strap 16to the barrel 14.

The revolver being held in the right hand, the barrel-catch of breakdownrevolvers has heretofore been usually lifted by being grasped betweenthe thu mbas shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12and forefinger of the lefthand, the left hand then depressing the barrel, the shells beingextracted through. the resulting action of the extractor-cam, whencartridges must first be sought with the left hand before they can beinserted and the revolver closed ready for firing; but with snitablethumb-ridge 2,Fig. 12,and thumb-recess, as aforesaid, the left hand mayhold cartridges it readiness until the first round is fired, when thethumb 20 of the revolver-usually the ri ht hand may be presented frombelow against the said thumb-ridge, the said recoilplate 19 acting as aguide, and the barrelcatch thus lifted from its engagement with thecatch posts. The barrel in the meantime having been placed, say, againstthe back of the hips a movement of the revolver-arm will depress thebarrel,-and thus extract the shells, gravity assisting instead of, asheretofore, tending to retard the complete extraction, when cartridgesalready held in readiness by the left hand may be quickly inserted.

I am aware that prior to this application rearward extensions of thebarrel underneath the cylinder have been claimed by myself and thatbarrel-catches pivotally connected with the strap have long been known Itherefore do not claim these broadly herein; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a breakdown revolver, the combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth,

of the revolver-frame, the forward end of which is suitably shaped toact as the interior member of the breakdown hinge, and suitably slottedto receive the extractor-cam, together with the barrel and outsiderecessed webbed barrel-levers,the said outside recessed webbed barrel;levers being suitably fashioned or formed to act as the exterior membersof the breakdown hinge, and having on their rear ends suitableprojections; all of which whereby a breakdown revolver may be providedwith outside barrel-levers, with a minimum increase of weight, whichsaid levers may be readily loosened from their seat in therevolver-frame, as by a tap upon said projection.

2. In a breakdown revolver, the combination, substantially ashereinbefo're set forth, of the thumb-recess in the frame of therevolver, to the rear of the recoil-plate, and the thumb-ridge along andaround the finger-face of the barrel-catch, together with thebarrelcatch spring 24, bearing upon a suitable lip 25 upon thebarrel-catch, whereby a strong, simple, and durable barrel-catch, whichmay be readily and with certainty lifted by the thumb of therevolver-hand, is provided, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to'this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. I

AUDLEY H. STOW.

Witnesses GUY WHITE, CHAS. B. TAYLOR.

